TDAA Ch 8

Ryufen, looking weary of the continuous explanations, tore into his meat.

“Can’t you just do it, Sizool? Do I need to know all this?”

“Of course you need to know! This is your leg now. How can you not know about your own leg?”

“Ugh… Fine. But I think the Captain can recharge the magic stone. Right, Captain?”

It was a question filled with the clear intention of pushing the responsibility onto someone else, anything to avoid doing it himself. But Eorzen readily nodded. Ryufen wasn’t the only one happy about the new leg.

“I’ve never tried it, but I think it’s possible. Let me see it for a moment.”

Siol took the magic stone out of Ryufen’s prosthetic leg and handed it to Eorzen.

Magic stones were formed when magical energy accumulated underground and permeated rocks. They sometimes appeared naturally in strangely shaped canyons, but were mainly found near dragons’ lairs. This was because the magical energy absorbed by the dragon would naturally flow back into the environment, accumulating and solidifying somewhere nearby.

Therefore, if a dragon intentionally concentrated magical energy somewhere, creating a magic stone wouldn’t be impossible. Naturally, recharging a magic stone with magical energy was also possible. In fact, recharging a magic stone was easier than artificially creating one.

As Eorzen held the magic stone and lightly focused his magical power on his fingertips, the stone slowly began to absorb the energy.

The fingernail-sized magic stone was fully charged in an instant.

“That was easy.”

Eorzen chuckled softly and returned the magic stone to Siol.

Siol stared, mesmerized, at the brilliantly shining magic stone. It wasn’t because of its sparkling beauty. Magic stones, both on Earth and in this world, were incredibly expensive. As an indispensable power source for alchemically crafted devices, magic stones were always in short supply, no matter how many there were. On the other hand, obtaining them was difficult.

Not only were magic stone mines hard to find, but once a magic stone was used, it was practically impossible to recycle. It wasn’t entirely impossible, but recharging a magic stone required highly concentrated magical energy. Replenishing a magic stone with natural magical energy, even a small one, took decades. Something almost impossible had just been accomplished in the dragon’s hand in a mere two or three seconds.

If this is possible…!

“Eorzen, I, I want a lot of magic stones!”

“…What?”

“I was thinking, there are other people in this city who’ve lost limbs because of things like landmines. I want to make prosthetic legs for them too. I thought it would be impossible because magic stones are expensive, but could you help me?!”

The young wolf, Edot, whom he had met before, had said his uncle lost a foot to a landmine. The child had said, “It’s fortunate that he can still live even without a foot!” but no one would be truly unaffected by losing a limb. Even if they weren’t warriors like Ryufen, how could anyone willingly accept the inability to run or stand as they used to?

If it were possible to easily supply magic stones, Siol would gladly use his abilities for them.

Even if it seemed hypocritical to some.

As Siol clung to him, pleading, Eorzen suddenly felt a strange sensation.

Bite, something whispered to him.

Eorzen looked at Siol’s snow-white neck and licked his lips.

“Eorzen? Your eyes… your eyes are red. Are you alright?”

Ah. Yes. The dam has overflowed.

Eorzen, struggling against the sudden surge within him, pushed Siol away.

“Ryufen…. Take Sizool and… run!”

As soon as he heard those words, Ryufen immediately understood the situation. They had just recently talked about the warning signs of a rampage. He had seemed fine afterwards, but without a mate, that “fine” state wouldn’t last forever. Moreover, hadn’t he used high-level magic to heal him just a few days ago?

He grabbed Siol, held him in his mouth, and started running out of the castle. Behind him, Eorzen reached out towards Siol, then clenched his fist and slammed it into the ground.

“W-wait, Eorzen is, Ryufen!”

Ryufen, holding the struggling child firmly in his mouth, ran without a word.

“Ryufen! What are you doing?! What about Eorzen?!”

The blue dragon’s rampages weren’t a new occurrence. Dragons, without mates, were creatures prone to periodic rampages, and those who followed him, those who had migrated to this city to live, all knew this. Everyone desperately hoped that the blue dragon would find a mate soon, but regardless, everyone shared a common understanding of how to act when a rampage began.

It wasn’t anything special. Just, ‘Flee immediately upon the signal.’ That was all.

Ryufen ran recklessly down the mountain, and halfway down, he glanced back. Dark clouds gathered above the castle, and lightning began to flash. Electricity crackled, baring its claws, colliding and lashing out in sharp bursts of lightning. Heavy snow began to fall amidst the chaos.

“Grrr…. Raaaaawr!”

Ryufen roared loudly. It wasn’t a threat or an attempt to intimidate, but a warning call to spread the news far and wide. The roar echoed like thunder through the mountains and the city. A moment of stillness hung in the air, as if time had stopped, before the sound of the wind resumed.

Siol couldn’t understand what was happening.

Eorzen’s eyes had suddenly turned crimson red, he had heard the word “run,” and Ryufen had actually grabbed him and fled. And then the castle, the weather turning ominously dark as if a demon had appeared, and Ryufen’s growling roar.

Just as he was about to question Ryufen, the city erupted in commotion. The peaceful city seemed to pulsate for a moment before being overtaken by running figures. Land animals and flying creatures alike, everyone was fleeing the city.

Siol grabbed Ryufen by the scruff as he tried to pick him up again.

“Explain this instant. Why are we running away from Eorzen?!”

“…Sizool, we’re running away from the Captain right now.”

“What…?”

He asked reflexively, but instinctively understood what was happening.

The blue dragon had begun to rampage.

Only then did Siol remember that he hadn’t guided Eorzen at all during the week he had been holed up in the laboratory. Preoccupied with Ryufen’s lost leg, he had forgotten about Eorzen.

But it was strange. If Eorzen’s rampage level was rising, Siol should have instinctively felt it, but even now, he felt nothing. That shouldn’t be possible unless Eorzen was intentionally suppressing it.

Just then, Siol felt a strange, smoke-like presence emanating from the castle. The insidious smoke choked him, spreading outwards.

“Oh no…. Sizool!”

As Siol clutched his throat and gasped, Ryufen quickly scooped him up and started running again.

At first, he could barely breathe, but the further they got from the main castle, the easier it became. As the distance increased, the strange, smoke-like presence also faded. Siol looked up at the castle with a dizzy head.

“Ryufen… what will happen to Eorzen?”

On Earth, a rampage equated to death. If you succeeded in controlling the rampage, you lived; if not, you rampaged until exhaustion and were devoured by monsters. Perhaps that’s why they treated life so carelessly, like disposable goods. Because no one valued death.

So, what would happen here? What about Eorzen, who was loved and respected by everyone in this city?

Only after reaching the outer wall did Ryufen stop and set Siol down. Siol immediately grabbed Ryufen’s scruff and asked,

“What? What will happen to him?”

“…He’ll be fine in a week or two. It’s called a rampage, but… he loses control, not that he’ll immediately start destroying things, so don’t worry. Right now, Eorzen is sensitive to noise and other stimuli, so everyone just stays away to avoid provoking him.”

“No, I mean what about Eorzen himself?”

“I said he’ll be fine.”

Siol simply closed his mouth and looked up at the main castle. Lightning crackled and flashed between the dark clouds. The layers of jet-black clouds made it look like a demon king’s castle, unfamiliar and different from its usual appearance. The originally white bricks now had a sinister glow, and acrid smoke billowed from the open doors and windows.

Inside, Eorzen was there.

Come here. Come here…. Come to me. Please.

A faint call reached him. Siol could feel that he was being called. It wasn’t a sound, but a sensation. Siol unconsciously took a step towards the castle, but Ryufen tugged on his clothes, stopping him.

“I have a room in the Knights’ building. You wait there for now.”

“What about you, Ryufen?”

“I need to make sure everyone has evacuated the surrounding area…. Anyway, I have some things to do.”

When they arrived at the Knights’ building, the knights waiting there greeted Ryufen with relief. One of them rushed over and exclaimed,

“Vice-Captain! There’s a problem in the west sector. An elephant, startled by the Vice-Captain’s howl, transformed and went on a rampage, and…”

“Ah. Got it. I can imagine. Are there many injured?”

“About twenty, they say. But, while rampaging, it destroyed some pillars, and there are people trapped inside the building.”

“Did they send the children away?”

“Yes. But we received a message that it will take some time.”

“Tsk. Incompetent.”

Ryufen muttered, then nudged Siol with his nose.

“I’ll take him to my room and be right back, so wait here for a bit.”

“Yes, Vice-Captain.”

“No, I can go by myself!”

When Siol hurriedly protested, Ryufen looked at him with his usual dubious expression. That particular look always made Siol defiant. Siol burst out,

“Do you think I can’t even find a single room?!”

“Fine, then. Go inside, all the way down the hall to the left, and it’s the last room. There are snacks in the desk drawer, so help yourself.”

“Yes, yes.”

He never seemed to tire of treating him like a child.

Siol shook his head and entered the building. The Knights’ building seemed recently constructed, with a clean and tidy appearance.

At the end of the long corridor were two doors. One had a dragon emblem, and the other a wolf emblem. Eorzen and Ryufen’s rooms, presumably. Although they spent most of their time in the castle, as Captain and Vice-Captain of the Knights, they would need their own rooms.

Siol glanced at the room with the dragon emblem for a moment before entering Ryufen’s room.

He needed to leave some trace of his presence, so Siol rushed to the desk and opened a drawer. There was some dried meat. Siol tore off a piece, popped it in his mouth, and walked over to the window. It faced a different direction than the one overlooking the garden in front of the Knights’ building. The window was locked, but after turning and pulling some kind of latch, it opened easily.

Siol looked up again at the castle on the mountain, clearly visible from here.

Come here…. Please.

The scattered call, unaware of its recipient, was like Eorzen’s cry. A whimper, a desire, a yearning. Siol didn’t know why he was calling out like this, or why he could hear it, but he couldn’t ignore it.

Siol transformed into a wolf and leaped through the window, starting to run.

His paws sank deep into the heavy snow that had quickly blanketed the mountain. Lightning flashed incessantly in the sky. A biting wind whipped through his fur. Every element surrounding the castle seemed to reject the approach of others. Considering that all of this was a result of the blue dragon’s rampage, it would be reasonable to assume that this was Eorzen’s will. Rejecting anyone from coming near.

But your voice is still calling for someone to stay by your side.

Siol, panting, reached the castle gate. A faint light enveloped the small wolf, and he returned to his human form. He felt dizzy and his chest was burning. Siol collapsed to the ground, groaning, and tore off his outer garments, fumbling with his shirt buttons before ripping them open in frustration. The buttons flew off. The cold wind grazed his skin, but he didn’t feel the slightest chill.

Instead, he grew hotter and hotter from the heat consuming his body. And even that heat felt like the dragon’s will. The heat emanated from the curse mark, tormenting him.

But this couldn’t be the dragon’s true intention. The day he had disobeyed Eorzen’s command to come closer and stepped back, nearly dying, the dragon had wanted him to live. But even though the dragon wished for Siol to live, the dragon’s curse hadn’t released its grip on his heart.

Therefore, it was likely that this current phenomenon was also the dragon’s curse fulfilling its designated role. His body, growing hotter as he climbed the mountain, felt like an attempt to prevent him from approaching the castle. But unlike Eorzen’s magic, which kept others away for their protection, this force seemed intent on keeping Siol away from Eorzen himself.

Why? He was a Guide, one of the few beings who could calm the suffering blue dragon. He couldn’t understand why the curse was acting this way.

Siol gritted his teeth and shouted,

“I’m… ugh… going to save your master! Damn it…!”

He felt as though a voice was whispering, One more step and I’ll really burn your heart.

Siol recalled the dragon’s curse. May you never find a mate, may you forever decline, and may you forever be accompanied by death, Eorzen had said. Nowhere in the curse did it say not to approach a rampaging dragon.

Could it be, could it be?

“Mate…. I’m not thinking of becoming a mate with Eorzen. I’m just, just going to Guide. So please…! It’s true, anyway, ugh… you said you already have a mate, right? Ah, then should I transform so you don’t recognize me?!”

Just as Siol, crawling desperately forward, cried out in frustration, a sudden heat spread throughout his body. He felt as though he were on fire, and a searing pain shot through his head. Siol couldn’t even scream, only managing to gasp for breath.

“Damn… it…!”

As the pain finally subsided, Siol slammed his fist on the ground in frustration and realized something was different.

His voice was different. His arms were longer.

“…Did I… grow?”

Siol stared blankly at his hands and muttered.

The tattoo and dragon mark on his chest remained, but other than that, he looked like his original self. It was as if he had reverted to Siol before the curse – his true form.

So this is… you transformed me so the blue dragon wouldn’t recognize me…?

Siol instinctively touched his head and then felt around his buttocks. His ears and tail, which had played a crucial role in defining him as a beastman after the homunculus died, were gone without a trace.

He stood awkwardly, grappling with his bewilderment.

He now had the body of an adult, not a boy, and he was even human. A human with the face of the Death Alchemist! If anyone were to recognize him now, whether wolf or leopard, they would likely lunge at him with sharp claws, aiming for his throat.

Why would the curse transform him like this, risking the blue dragon recognizing and trying to kill him again? Siol, about to argue with the curse, groaned and clutched his head.

The curse wasn’t a sentient being but more like a mechanism that reacted according to predetermined rules. The fact that it seemed to have understood him just now was probably just a coincidence. Talking to it was like trying to have a conversation with a computer.

He couldn’t fathom how this was all working. Perhaps the curse had transformed him as a warning to give up on approaching the dragon and turn back.

Siol took a slow, deep breath, suppressing his fear.

This was the castle where the blue dragon resided. Even under normal circumstances, unauthorized individuals were forbidden to enter. Now, with the castle’s owner, the blue dragon, in the midst of a rampage, with unexpected snowfall and raging lightning, who would come here and recognize the Death Alchemist?

The only one who might recognize him was Eorzen himself, the blue dragon.

And Siol had come here to save that very blue dragon.

“Eorzen.”

Siol softly called his name and stood up. He had no time to waste. Somewhere within this castle, the blue dragon was suffering from his rampage.

He pushed his way through the broken wooden door and saw the interior, covered in snow, much like the outside. Come to think of it, all the windows were shattered. The curtains were tattered.

Siol shivered and buttoned his shirt, but that did little to ward off the cold. If he were still little Siol, he could have transformed into a wolf, but his human body felt utterly useless.

“Ugh. I’ve only lived as a beastman for a few days, and I’m already thinking like this.”

Siol shook his head and picked up a silver candlestick from the floor. He also grabbed a piece of wood that seemed to have broken off from the table and a shard of broken glass. He placed the three items on the floor and slammed his palm down in front of them. Beams of light emanated from his palm, seeping into the floor and forming strange runes. The light extended outwards from both hands, forming a circle, completing the runic inscription, and accepting the offerings.

The three offerings, absorbed into the runes, underwent a strange transmutation. Part of them disappeared into the world’s order, part was devoured by the deliveryman, and a tiny fraction reappeared above the runes.

“…Not bad.”

It was a small earring with a clear gemstone. Siol picked it up and pushed it through his earlobe, securing it.

Siol tapped the gemstone of the earring.

The earring greedily absorbed the magical energy that had been accumulating within Siol’s body. Then the runic tattoo on his chest pulsed and throbbed before being sucked into the gemstone. Having absorbed the black runes, the earring turned jet black.

Now, all that remained on his chest was the dragon’s curse mark. He wished he could make that invisible too, but it was impossible for him to conceal something that had been placed there against his will. Perhaps if the one who cast the curse was less powerful than him, but this was a curse cast by a dragon, a world adjuster.

Still, this was good enough. The tattoo that Eorzen knew on Sizool’s chest was a combination of the runic tattoo and the dragon mark. He wouldn’t be able to connect the little wolf Sizool and the human Siol simply by seeing the dragon’s curse mark alone.

Now, there was truly no link that could raise suspicion between Sizool and Siol. Even if Eorzen, after his rampage ended, remembered him, Sizool wouldn’t be suspected.

Siol started walking, following Eorzen’s continuing call. Walking across the cold stone floor, up the stairs, across the hallway, and up the tower stairs, Siol reached the Stargazing Tower.

The warm space, once filled with a crackling bonfire and a table laden with food, was now unrecognizable, covered in cold snow. The vines on the walls were frozen solid in the frigid space. Within it, Eorzen was alone.

“I’m here.”

Even at this soft whisper, Eorzen didn’t react, remaining wrapped in his wings.

The blue dragon looked like a giant ice sculpture, delicately carved from a block of ice. His translucent blue membranous wings, like expertly sliced pieces of Arctic glacier, partially revealed Eorzen within, eyes closed.

Honestly, he had no idea what to do.

Siol had lived as a Guide for a long time on Earth, but he had only ever Guided espers right before they completely lost control. In the apocalyptic world of Earth, a rampage meant death. Stabilizing a rampaging esper required several times the Guiding effort compared to normal, and Earth couldn’t afford such a waste of resources. Naturally, this was Siol’s first time facing a truly rampaging esper.

Can I really calm you down? I’m scared, but if I don’t, you’ll end up in a terrible state.

Siol activated his Guiding pheromones and placed his hand on the membranous wing. Feeling its cold temperature, Siol recognized himself as Siyoon, the Guide from Earth. He had never liked being a Guide, but at this moment, he was grateful. If he weren’t a Guide, he would only be able to watch the rampaging Eorzen from below.

To the dragon hiding within his wings, eyes and ears covered, Guide Siyoon whispered,

“Eorzen— no, hello, Eorzen.”

Eorzen flinched in response. The cold membranous wings that had completely enveloped him slowly unfurled, and Eorzen, who had been curled up inside, raised his upper body. As the wings spread towards the sky, the accumulated snow scattered. Moonlight poured down, filtering through the translucent wings and scattering light around them. In the dark tower, only Eorzen shone brightly.

It was a mystical sight, as if he were a fairy or some mythical being.

He had always thought so, but he was truly a beautiful man. Especially now. Siol couldn’t take his eyes off Eorzen’s horns, his enormous blue membranous wings, and his sleek, lizard-like tail.

While Siol, forgetting his purpose, was lost in gazing at Eorzen, the other party was also fixated on him. He stared at Siol with diamond-shaped pupils and slowly rose to his feet. His movements were quiet, but his gaze was intensely predatory, like a carnivore carefully calculating the perfect moment to strike its prey from the undergrowth.

However, that was just the gaze of an ability user aiming for a Guide, not the gaze of the blue dragon Eorzen targeting the Death Alchemist. Siol finally released his tension and grinned.

Relieved that he didn’t have to run away, Siol approached Eorzen himself.

“Shall we hold hands?”

At Siol’s suggestion, Eorzen readily extended his hand. Siol giggled, clasped Eorzen’s hand, and began the guiding.

“Ugh…!”

Eorzen frowned and stared at Siol. His gaze seemed to ask, “What is this?” Siol whispered, “It’s okay,” and gently patted the back of his hand.

Based on several past experiences, Eorzen always lost his reason when his rampage level rose. To be precise, it was closer to losing his mind and the wild beast, the blue dragon, bursting forth, but that was the gist of it. Siol had been providing gently refined guiding for such an Eorzen, but today, there was no time for that.

He wasn’t sure he could handle this dragon even if he poured out all his guiding pheromones, so there was no room for such leniency.

Siol slid his hand, which was clasped with Eorzen’s, up Eorzen’s forearm. Surprised by the widened area of contact, Eorzen took half a step back, then immediately stepped forward again. Now Eorzen’s face was right above Siol’s. At a distance close enough for their chests to touch, this time Siol was surprised and stumbled back, but ended up tightly embraced as Eorzen pulled him closer.

“Uh…. Wait, Eorzen….”

Siol felt momentarily dizzy from the sudden increase in contact.

Eorzen caught Siol as his legs weakened and he was about to collapse. Siol, pressed tightly against Eorzen, struggled to push against his chest. But no matter how hard he pushed, he could only create a gap barely enough for a pillow. Siol had to meet Eorzen’s eyes, gazing at him from a distance close enough for their noses to touch. The eyes, which had been blue just a moment ago, were starting to turn a ferocious red again. Red pupils shone brightly within the violet irises, piercing Siol with their gaze.

Eorzen didn’t miss the way Siol’s strength seemed to drain away at the sight of those eyes. As if waiting for that moment, Eorzen pulled the hand that had been supporting Siol’s back, pressing their chests fully together. Siol and Eorzen stared at each other, their chests, waists, and below tightly pressed together.

Wait, isn’t this a bit strange?

Siol flinched, trying to create some distance by curling up his body, but no matter what he did, they didn’t separate.

“Hey, this is too- Hng…!”

Siol moaned, hunching his shoulders. It was because Eorzen suddenly buried his face in his neck. The sound of him inhaling sharply rang in his ears. The blue dragon inhaled his scent and then, out of the blue, bit his neck. Startled by the sensation of teeth nibbling on his skin, Siol flinched and twisted his body.

“Ugh…! That hurts…!”

Siol groaned, trying to push Eorzen’s chest away with both arms, but he didn’t budge an inch. Instead, he held Siol even tighter, licking and sucking the neck he had just bitten. Something wet and sticky kept brushing against his neck. Every time sharp teeth nibbled and a tongue persistently pressed against the wound, Siol couldn’t help but flinch and gasp.

The surprising thing was that those rough actions were stimulating him.

Siol couldn’t believe himself. Reacting to such beastly behavior…

He wanted to deny it, but he couldn’t. Guiding pheromones naturally intensified and were emitted more strongly the more stimulated the Guide became. Right now, trapped against Eorzen’s chest, he was emitting guiding pheromones in abundance.

Flinch!

When Eorzen’s hand, which had only been supporting his back, slowly trailed down his spine, Siol unknowingly grabbed Eorzen’s shoulders and moaned. A tingling, itchy sensation spread stealthily from somewhere in his body. But he couldn’t figure out where. It seemed to be somewhere in his abdomen, or along his spine, or even inside his brain. Fear suddenly welled up. He shouldn’t have come here. There’s no way he could handle the blue dragon. Siol tried to push Eorzen away with all his might. But the next moment, Siol was clinging tightly to Eorzen’s forearms. Siol’s body pressed deeper against Eorzen’s.

Scratch a little more, no, rub it, no, no….

What am I hoping for? Siol thought, gazing down at his chest with hazy eyes, then slowly raised his head. The moment his eyes met Eorzen’s, Siol realized he had pushed himself into the mouth of a ferocious beast.

Eorzen grabbed Siol’s neck with both hands and slowly stroked upwards. Siol, his chin and cheeks cupped, slowly brought his face closer. The moment Siol’s Adam’s apple bobbed with fear and tension, Eorzen’s tongue began to devour him.

It was a kiss that felt like being devoured. Not in a violent or rough sense, but purely.

“Nn…!”

Siol trembled and turned his head. But the lips that had momentarily parted were soon captured again by Eorzen. Having succeeded in reclaiming his prize, Eorzen licked and tasted Siol’s tongue with his own.

Eorzen held the back of Siol’s neck firmly with one hand, gently stroking it with his fingers, while his other hand trailed down from Siol’s shoulder, across his back, over his shoulder blade, past his waist, and lower.

When Eorzen nibbled and sucked on his lower lip, Siol shuddered and gasped. The kiss alone was overwhelming, and the constant touching left him completely disoriented.

“Haa…. A little, a little slower. Please?”

At his breathless plea, Eorzen tilted his head, then immediately pressed their lips together again.

Siol kept whispering, “Slowly,” “Stop,” “Wait,” but he couldn’t push away Eorzen, who clung to him tenaciously, licking the inside of his mouth like he was savoring candy. More than the act of kissing itself, it was Eorzen’s expression and gestures, eager to press their bodies closer, almost as if craving him, that aroused Siol. That greedy attitude, as if wanting to devour everything in sight.

Siol gasped and wrapped his arms around Eorzen’s head, pulling him close. Then Eorzen stopped his dog-like licking and, with his eyes closed, seemed to savor Siol’s touch as he caressed his hair. Siol pecked a kiss on Eorzen’s lips. Eorzen chuckled, licked Siol’s lips with his wet tongue, then closed his eyes again and waited.

As if begging for a kiss.

“Eorzen….”

As if possessed, Siol pressed his lips against Eorzen’s. Their soft lips met and rubbed together gently. The joined lips parted, and Eorzen lightly licked Siol’s lips with the tip of his tongue.

Ah, this is wrong. Siol was startled and pulled his head back. Eorzen looked at him with eyes that protested as if a candy had been suddenly snatched away, but Siol couldn’t continue. He couldn’t lose himself like this, surrendering to desire. He had a purpose: to guide this blue dragon.

He couldn’t lose control. If he did, he might become exhausted and fail to guide him properly.

Siol grasped the back of Eorzen’s head and began to infuse him with guiding pheromones while gently stroking his hair. Eorzen flinched at the sensation, groaning and then leaning his relaxed body against Siol.

“Yes, just accept it like that….”

Eorzen’s wet breaths echoed languidly through the quiet tower. Siol’s guiding stained Eorzen like ink dropped into a lake. At first, a single drop was nothing, but as drop after drop followed, the lake transformed into the color of the ink. The residual magic accumulated within Eorzen’s body melted away.

The sensation was so pleasant, like having an unbearable itch scratched, that Eorzen purred lowly, rubbing his cheek against Siol’s shoulder and moaning.

Siol gently stroked Eorzen’s head, checking his condition. The rampaging dragon’s body was definitely different from before. The last time he guided him, he’d seen Eorzen greedily absorbing the guiding, but he hadn’t been this filled with desire. This meant that the guiding wasn’t supposed to stimulate the blue dragon’s sexual senses. But now, he was clearly aroused while receiving the guiding. Watching Eorzen’s breathing grow increasingly ragged, Siol realized he was in a similar state.

Moist, but vertically slitted, sharp red pupils looked up at Siol and slowly approached.

Oh no, this isn’t good. If we kiss, if we kiss, I won’t be able to think straight…

Kwaaang!

The moment a blinding flash and an explosion-like sound erupted, Siol was already pulled into Eorzen’s embrace. Eorzen, holding Siol’s shoulders tightly against his chest, raised one wing towards the ceiling, trying to block the threat.

The claws at the tip of his wing flashed menacingly, and his horns protruded further with a grinding sound.

Only then did Siol realize that Eorzen’s current form wasn’t what he wanted, but the result of desperately suppressing his transformation. He had thought Eorzen looked rather composed, albeit irrational, but he was merely in a precarious state.

“Eorzen! It’s okay. It’s just thunder. It’s nothing.”

Startled by the thunder, Siol desperately tried to soothe the blue dragon, whose draconic features had become more pronounced. He was still alright for now, but Siol wasn’t sure if the guiding would still work if he fully transformed into a dragon.

Eorzen, who seemed unwilling to take his eyes off the ceiling no matter how much Siol called him, turned his head towards him with a somewhat suspicious look. At that moment, lightning struck again. Once again, the barrier on the ceiling blocked the lightning, but the subsequent thunderclap crashed down on them menacingly.

With a cracking sound, Eorzen’s wings expanded further.

Siol hurriedly lunged at Eorzen, bit his lip, and mingled their tongues. As their wet tongues touched and rubbed against each other, Eorzen paused his movements. His stiffly raised wings relaxed, and the corners of his eyes softened.

“See? It’s nothing, right?”

Eorzen reluctantly nodded, but he didn’t seem entirely convinced.

He glanced at the sky with a suspicious look, then suddenly scooped Siol up into his arms.

“Ugh. What? Why all of a sudden?”

Then, half-running and half-flying, he leaped down the stairs and ran through the hallways and corridors. He moved with incredible speed, like the wind. Siol could do nothing but cling to Eorzen’s neck and hold on.

They arrived at Eorzen’s room. As the lightning flashed outside the window, Eorzen irritably drew the thick curtains, completely blocking the view.

Actually, Eorzen himself was the one who created that lightning, but he didn’t seem aware of it at all. Well, that’s how it is when you’re in a rampaging state. Siol shrugged, and Eorzen looked down at him.

“…….”

Feeling somewhat embarrassed, Siol glanced around the room.

It was a dark and comfortable space. At least it was much better than the Stargazing Tower. Because, first of all, it was enclosed on all sides, offering a comfortable space to rest.

So, is it time to start the guiding in earnest now?

As Siol took a deep breath in anticipation, Eorzen suddenly moved and shoved him into a wardrobe, closing the door.

“…Huh?”

It was a large wardrobe, big enough to store blankets, but it was still a wardrobe. Siol, bewildered, banged on the door. He couldn’t understand why he was suddenly locked inside.

Then Eorzen opened the wardrobe door and looked inside.

With a look that seemed to ask, “What?”, Siol couldn’t figure out what to say. You locked me in here. What are you doing? Let me out right now. It felt too absurd to complain.

“I, mmmph…!”

Before he could even begin to speak, Eorzen kissed him again. After a sticky lick inside his mouth, Eorzen bit down hard on Siol’s neck and closed the wardrobe door once more.

“…What is this….”

Siol grumbled angrily, punching the floor with his fist.

The door opened again, and Eorzen poked his upper body in. This time, it wasn’t going to end so simply.

Eorzen bit down hard near Siol’s shoulder and sucked forcefully. Meanwhile, his hand found Siol’s, interlaced their fingers, and pressed them against the wardrobe wall. As Siol squirmed and gasped, Eorzen’s pupils became even redder.

The blue dragon growled roughly, lowering his head to bite even lower.

“Ouch…! Why do you keep biting me?!”

Siol pushed at Eorzen with his knee in annoyance, but he only bit down harder as if to show him who was in charge. If Siol tried to resist, Eorzen bit him even more fiercely, so Siol had no choice but to let him do as he pleased.

What hurt his pride the most was the fact that his body was starting to heat up in response to this rough territorial marking.

He was nearing his limit. Heat was already pooling in his lower body, making him lightheaded. He couldn’t keep engaging in these ambiguous actions forever. It felt unpleasant, like he was being drawn in, but he truly couldn’t endure it any longer.

“Eorzen, let’s now….”

When he got that far, Eorzen suddenly straightened up and left, slamming the wardrobe door shut again.

Left alone in the cold, dark wardrobe, Siol froze, then clenched his teeth and sat up.

Just what kind of rampage is this?!

Siol pounded on the wardrobe door furiously. Eorzen, with a stern expression as if about to scold a misbehaving child, poked his upper body in, but his face turned to one of surprise at the sight of Siol’s fierce expression.

Siol grabbed Eorzen by the collar and dragged him into the wardrobe. The problem was that his wings were too large to possibly fit inside.

“Put those away, right now.”

As Siol growled the order, face to face with Eorzen, his wings shrunk as if by magic and disappeared into his back. A glance at his tail showed that it had vanished as well. Siol forced the now almost human-looking Eorzen into the wardrobe and slammed the door shut.

Inside the cramped wardrobe, Eorzen, frozen by the sudden turn of events, looked down at Siol from above. But when Siol pulled Eorzen’s head down and kissed him, he responded with a beastly growl, nipping at Siol’s lips with his fangs. He was controlling his strength, biting gently, but his eyes looked as if he wanted to devour Siol whole.

Siol giggled and this time pulled Eorzen into an embrace.

Emitting guiding pheromones all the while.

⋆୨🔮୧⋆

Siol didn’t want to remember what he did or what was done to him during those three days and nights. However, the red marks on his skin and the burning sensation throughout his body made it impossible to forget everything that had happened over the past few days.

The first day it was in the wardrobe, but the second day, it was on the bed. That was at least something to be thankful for. They continued while he was awake, and it seemed like something was being done to him even while he slept. The blue dragon, who had stayed by Siol’s side without sleeping, finally fell asleep on the night of the third day.

And so, Siol was finally able to escape from the castle on the morning of the fourth day.

“Unbelievable. What have I done….”

Siol muttered in a daze. He had gone to the castle to guide Eorzen, and everything had gone according to plan until he reached the Stargazing Tower. He had been excited to guide the rampaging dragon and bring him back to his senses, but at some point, everything went wrong.

Guiding? Siol hadn’t guided the blue dragon. He had tried several times but lost his composure each time. And so, caught in the blue dragon’s grasp, he was stimulated to emit guiding pheromones – and they were taken from him.

That man, Eorzen, the blue dragon, quickly abandoned his initial cautious touch and handled him roughly. Siol endured the three days through repeated cries, sobs, and faints.

So, did he hate it? No, he didn’t.

That was the problem.

This wasn’t guiding. The guiding Siol knew wasn’t like this.

“How am I supposed to face Eorzen now…!”

Siol groaned and clutched his head. When he had rushed to Eorzen offering to guide him, he had been confident that he could face him calmly even after the guiding was over. But not now.

Over the past few days, Siol had experienced more than he had bargained for. It was definitely not just simple guiding….

That’s why he couldn’t face Eorzen.

Oh my god.

Siol mumbled blankly. He found some clothes in the wardrobe, barely managed to put them on, and came out, but he looked a mess. His top was tattered, and his whole body was burning and aching. Both his clothes and his body were in tatters. He couldn’t go back like this. He knew exactly what Ryufen would say if he saw him in this state.

Siol looked around. Hiding was his priority. If returning immediately was impossible, he needed to hide and get some sleep. He had managed to escape from Eorzen, but his body was exhausted, and his head was dizzy from lack of sleep.

Finding a place with thick bushes under a large tree, Siol curled up beneath them and closed his eyes.

After Siol groaned and drifted off to sleep, his body emitted a shimmering light and shrunk. Ears sprouted from his head and a tail from his rear. Thus, the Death Alchemist shrunk and became Sizool. The dragon’s curse, the only clue that the recent Siol was the man who had spent the night with the blue dragon, was obscured by black magical tattoos that erupted from the exploding earring Siol had created. Returning to its original form, the bizarre, unreadable magic that Eorzen had initially reacted to with dismay, the dragon’s curse became untraceable.

And so, the man who had spent three days with the blue dragon completely erased his traces and disappeared.

⋆୨🔮୧⋆

When he came to his senses, everything was already over. Siol opened his eyes to the familiar ceiling of his room and saw Ryufen dozing off. It seemed someone had found him and brought him here.

Siol reached out and stroked the bridge of Ryufen’s nose. Startled awake by the touch, Ryufen bopped Siol on the throat with his nose.

“Khuff! Cough…! Why, why did you hit me?!”

“You little troublemaker! I knew you’d pull something like this! Do you know how worried everyone was? The kid who said, ‘I can go by myself,’ disappeared, and do you know how much trouble we went through looking for you? You won’t even be able to go to the bathroom alone from now on!”

“Well, that’s-.”

“‘Do you think I can’t even find a single room?’ Oh, you found one alright. Didn’t you?”

Siol mumbled, looking at Ryufen, who was poking his cheek with his nose and sneering, then lowered his eyes. Even if he had a justifiable reason, it was understandable for Ryufen to be angry, having lost him without knowing anything.

“I’m sorry….”

“Of course you are!”

“Yes, I’m sorry.”

“Yes, you should be! Do you know how much I got scolded by the Commander because of you? Wow…. I really thought I was going to get beaten to death.”

Ryufen shook his head and recounted Eorzen’s rampage. He said he got hit so hard he flew 10 meters, that the entire knight order was mobilized to search the area because the Commander was furious and demanded he be found immediately, and that it was difficult to find him because he was hiding in a strange place.

“Ah! Is Sir Eorzen alright now?”

“Yeah, he’s fine now. If he’d been hit by the Commander, who’s not fine, he probably would’ve flown 50 meters.”

Groaning, Ryufen shuddered lightly and got up.

“Phew…. Anyway, let’s go eat, kiddo.”

“Okay.”

Siol was hungry too. It would be strange if he wasn’t, after being relentlessly used by the blue dragon for three days.

As they passed through the hall on their way from the room to the dining room, they saw Eorzen and the knights gathered there. Siol froze involuntarily, staring at Eorzen.

That upright, ascetic-looking man had roughly handled him last night. The memory of being kissed while barely supporting himself by gripping Eorzen’s shoulder, his chin held captive, was vivid, yet he looked completely different now.

“Sizool.”

Eorzen, who had met his gaze, showed his palm to the knights and strode towards Siol. Siol barely managed to stop himself from backing away.

“Are you alright?”

“…Yes. Except for being a little… tired.”

“That’s good. Then go to the kitchen and ask Ryufen for something delicious to eat.”

“Okay.”

“We’ll talk about your punishment after you’ve eaten.”

As Siol looked up in surprise, Eorzen smiled gently and stroked his hair. Then, leaving Siol to try and come up with an excuse, he returned to the knights.

Seeing the angry Eorzen, Siol gasped involuntarily.

Oh. This was bad. He could feel his cheeks flushing.

It was because he could see last night’s Eorzen in the coldly turning figure. Looking at Eorzen brought back the memories of the past three days.

Siol quickly fled towards the kitchen and leaned against the back wall, catching his breath. Then he heard the conversation between Eorzen and the knights from across the hall.

“No, no matter how I think about it, it’s strange. The rampage clearly stopped midway, but why is our partner nowhere to be seen?”

“He couldn’t have disappeared so completely unless he’s a mage. But even if he were a mage, it’s strange that he would just leave after helping to stop the rampage.”

“Seriously. Commander, are you sure meeting our partner wasn’t a dream?”

“But if it were a dream, the rampage ended too stably and quickly.”